


Inseparable

by LuciferaBlack



Series: Hannigram [3]
Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Anxiety, Enemies to Lovers, Falling In Love, Feelings, Feelings Realization, Fluff, Fluffy Ending, Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M, Post-Canon, Post-Fall (Hannibal), Psychological Trauma, References to Depression, References to the fall as suicide attempt, Romance, Shameless Smut, Sharing a Bed, Sharing a Room, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-16 14:47:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28708398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuciferaBlack/pseuds/LuciferaBlack
Summary: Will wakes up in a hospital and to his dismay, he realizes he and Hannibal survived after falling from the cliff. Given this second chance at life, Will reluctantly escapes the hospital with Hannibal, and they start over. Will finally accepts that he and Hannibal are inseparable.
Relationships: Will Graham & Hannibal Lecter, Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Series: Hannigram [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2036317
Comments: 26
Kudos: 123





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was inspired by the song "After The Fall" by Chelsea Wolfe (video with lyrics): https://youtu.be/jbl5f4CcI5M
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Hannibal (TV) or the characters and I do not make a profit. This is strictly for fan entertainment purposes.

Will suddenly became aware of white light, but he couldn’t open his eyes. He felt like he was choking on something, and he heard beeping. It felt like an object was being pulled out of his throat, then tape was peeled off his eyelids. He coughed and spluttered, trying to breathe properly, and he kept his eyes shut against the bright light.

“You’re okay, Mr. Graham, you’re in a hospital.” Someone said.

Will was still panicked, unable to get his bearings. His last memory flashed in his mind; he’d pulled Hannibal with him, plummeting to the sea. Will opened his eyes and everything was blurry, but he could see people in green scrubs and white coats. He tried to sit up but he was sore, stiff and weak; he gave up and collapsed backwards onto a pillow.

“Welcome back, Mr. Graham. I’m Doctor Lanza. Can you hear me okay?” The doctor said.

Will’s sore, dry throat didn’t cooperate when he attempted to speak; it was more of a croak, so he just nodded.

“I have to inform you that you’ve been in a coma for five months. You’re lucky to be alive. Apparently you were picked up by some fishermen and taken to a nearby hospital. You were transferred here, and it’s been five months and two days. You must be wondering what happened to your friend.” Dr. Lanza said.

 _Friend?_ Will thought.

“He’s going to be okay. I don’t know how he did it, but they tell me your friend managed to drag you onto a rock until he was able to flag down the fishermen.” Dr. Lanza said.

Will started crying, with streams of warm tears running down his temples and his whole body was rocked by sobs and hysterical laughter.

“Aww honey, it’s okay. You’re both going to be fine.” A nurse said.

Will wasn’t weeping with relief, gratitude, or concern for his ‘friend’. He was weeping because he failed to kill them both. They were supposed to die. They were monsters who needed to be taken out of the world. _Hannibal Lecter is fucking indestructible_ , Will thought with dark humour, then more tears flowed.

“He’s in the next bed, but we’ve given him something to help him sleep. You’ll be able to see him soon. We figured it would be best for your recovery to keep the two of you together.” The sympathetic nurse said.

“We…should be…dead.” Will said hoarsely.

“I don’t know how you pulled through. You both had concussions, broken ribs, a punctured lung, fractured limbs, fractured pelvis, broken feet, internal bleeding…As I’ve said, you’re lucky to be alive.” Dr. Lanza said.

“…Lucky.” Will said sarcastically, but because of his broken voice, they didn’t catch his sarcasm.

“That’s right, dear. Are you feeling hungry? Would you like to try swallowing some mushy food?” The nurse said.

“No.” Will said.

“Okay, we’ll try again later. You’re still hooked up to your IV.” The nurse said.

“Your blood pressure’s a little high. Try to relax and we’ll check it again later. You’ve had quite the shock.” Dr. Lanza.

Will nodded weakly.

“By the way, your friend didn’t have any identification on him and he has barely spoken about himself since he came here. Could you give us his name?” Dr. Lanza said.

Will realized that Hannibal’s fate was in his hands yet again; if he gave them his real name, he’d be cuffed to the bed and carted off to the BSHCI. Will could give them an alias, and he could take Hannibal somewhere to get revenge, undetected. Will needed time to figure out what he wanted to do.

“My…mind’s blank at the moment…” Will said, furrowing his brow in feigned confusion.

“Hmm. Alright, we’ll leave that for now, shall we?” Dr. Lanza said in concern, scribbling a note on the clipboard.

“Thanks, Doctor.” Will said.

“Just rest.” Dr. Lanza said, then the medical team left to see other patients.

Will stiffly turned to look over at Hannibal, but the curtain was drawn around the older man’s bed. Probably for the best, since Will’s blood pressure was already high. If he saw Hannibal, it would go through the roof. Will heard the TV come on somewhere nearby; he listened to the news, cringing as he anticipated hearing his name along with ‘wanted fugitive’. It dawned on him that it wouldn’t just be Hannibal that gets cuffed and carted off to the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Will would end up there, too; accessory to murder at the very least, aiding and abetting…How he wasn’t already in the State Hospital or a prison medical ward, he didn’t know. He supposed the doctors hadn’t recognized him or his name yet. He had to get out of the hospital as soon as possible.

Will rested, but with every minute that ticked by, he became more worried about being arrested. Will managed to eat a pudding without the nurse’s help, so he was able to swallow and hold a spoon. He wiggled his toes and turned onto his side, although turning over was painful. He felt bruised all over, even after the months since the fall. Will wondered what Hannibal’s condition was; the nurse said he was going to be fine.

Late at night, Will’s curiosity was unbearable, so he shakily sat up and weakly stood, holding onto the hospital bed rail and then one of the monitoring machines. Will’s hand trembled as he pulled the curtain back. Hannibal was still sleeping; his hair was longer than Will remembered. He had to remind himself that five months had passed. Will thought about taking his own IV cord and strangling Hannibal with it, but he wouldn’t have the strength anyway. Not to mention that was a sure way to be hauled off to the BSHCI. Hannibal stirred slightly, and Will became startled. He watched Hannibal turn onto his side in almost a fetal position and continue sleeping. Will studied him; he looked _vulnerable_. How the hell did Hannibal keep them both alive? And _why?_

“You’re supposed to be in bed, Mr. Graham.” A nurse said, scaring him half to death.

“I—I just had to see him.” Will said, which was true.

“Aww. Have you remembered his name, honey?” The nurse said quietly.

“Uh…Hans…Lester. That’s right, it’s Hans Lester. I remember now.” Will said.

“Good job, hon! I’ll let the doctor know. Now, get back in bed.” The nurse said.

“When will he wake up?” Will asked as he sat on the bed.

“Hans? The doctor’s got him pretty doped up on sedatives. He was having night terrors constantly, poor thing, not to mention that he was worrying about you non-stop.” The nurse said as she covered Will with blankets and tucked the corners under the mattress.

“Worrying about me?” Will asked.

“Yeah! He kept asking all sorts of medical questions, demanding to know if there was any progress. He wanted to take over your care and do it himself!” The nurse said amusedly.

“Oh.” Will said.

“Now that you’re awake, we’ll try decreasing his meds and you two can visit in the morning. How does that sound?” The nurse said.

“Good…” Will said.

“Okay. G’night, honey.” The nurse said, then she adjusted the IV drip for “Hans” and left the double room.

Will turned onto his side and stared at Hannibal, who was asleep and facing him. What would the staff do when the system showed there was no Hans Lester? Will continued staring at Hannibal, waiting impatiently for him to wake up. Probably an hour later, Will was startled when he saw Hannibal’s eyes open, then Hannibal jolted awake and sat up. He was more startled than Will was.

“Will…are you really back? Am I awake?” Hannibal asked.

“Shh. I’ve given them a fake name for you. Hans Lester. Got it? We have to get out of here.” Will said in a hushed tone.

 _We?_ Hannibal thought. Why did Will provide an alias for him and want to leave the hospital with him? He expected Will to find a scalpel the moment he came out of the coma and murder him with it.

“Do we have clothes here?” Will asked.

Hannibal was still staring at him.

“Hey. _Hans_. Do we have any clothes?” Will said irritatedly.

“No.” Hannibal said.

Will sighed. Well, this was it, then. They’d have to either escape in their hospital gowns, or just wait until they were apprehended by the FBI.

“Do you have a plan?” Hannibal asked.

“No, I don’t. It’s just that I find myself _alive_ , and I’d rather not spend the rest of my life in here or the State Hospital.” Will said bitterly.

“Where would you go?” Hannibal asked.

“I don’t know. Anywhere.” Will said.

“Will you allow me to help you?” Hannibal asked.

“…Do _you_ have a plan?” Will asked.

“No, but I want to help.” Hannibal said.

“Great. We can be useless together. That’s the plan.” Will said sardonically.

Hannibal’s eyes glinted with emotion.

“I was worried you wouldn’t come out of your coma.” Hannibal said.

Will didn’t say anything. They just looked at each other.

“You should have a plan, _Hans_. You’re the one who… _rescued_ us…didn’t you think about what might happen afterwards?” Will said in an accusatory tone.

Hannibal gently shook his head.

“Our chances were slim, Will. I was running purely on adrenaline. Instinct.” Hannibal said.

“Why didn’t you just let us die?” Will said, then he wiped tears away.

“I’ve told you. Survival instinct.” Hannibal said.

“No. They told me you put me on a rock. Survival instinct would’ve been to climb onto the rock yourself.” Will said emotionally.

“And let my dearest friend perish in the sea?” Hannibal said in a hurt tone.

Will cried harder and used the blanket to soak up his tears—and to hide from Hannibal.

“Fuck…I can’t stop crying.” Will whispered.

“We’ve experienced a significant trauma.” Hannibal said; he felt like he could cry along with Will, but he repressed it. 

“It’s your fault.” Will said shakily.

“I seem to recall your arm snaking around my neck and your weight leaning into me before we fell off the cliff.” Hannibal pointed out.

“We needed to be put down, Hannibal, like rabid animals.” Will whispered.

“…And now?” Hannibal asked.

“Now I don’t know what to do. I’ve just come back from the dead, you’re here with me, we’re both going to be charged with murder…” Will said dramatically.

“I think you _know_ what to do, Will. You asked me if we had clothes available, for an escape.” Hannibal pointed out.

“Call it ‘survival instinct’.” Will said with attitude.

Hannibal had sorely missed Will’s voice, his sarcasm, his insufferable morality, and his beautiful eyes that had lain closed for five months and two days. He’d missed Will so much, he felt like he aged ten years during the time since the fall. His broken heart had almost killed him when the physical injuries didn’t.

Will’s snarky comment didn’t have the expected effect; instead, Hannibal smiled fondly at him. Will sulked, turning onto his back to avoid looking at Hannibal.

“Will, we can just sign ourselves out. We have a right to do so.” Hannibal said quietly.

“We don’t have any clothes, money, anywhere to stay…we’re fugitives, and we’re completely screwed.” Will whispered harshly.

“I’m worried you might be experiencing memory loss. You’ve forgotten how resourceful I am.” Hannibal quipped.

“Fuck you. I remember perfectly well how resourceful you are. I meant there’s no way to escape _without_ killing people and breaking a million laws.” Will clarified.

“Yes there is. Are you well enough to leave now?” Hannibal said, sitting up.

“I dunno. I’m still weak. I’m hooked up to an IV and a catheter.” Will said.

“I’ll disconnect you.” Hannibal said.

Will was reluctant to let Hannibal anywhere near him, but he was also eager to leave.

“Okay…” Will said.

Hannibal stood up and he stepped close beside Will’s bed. He put his hand on Will’s forearm in a comforting gesture.

“This won’t hurt.” Hannibal said softly, then he expertly removed the IV line.

“You should urinate before I remove the catheter. We might not have access to a bathroom for some time.” Hannibal said.

Will sighed.

“I can’t go if you’re watching.” Will complained.

Hannibal turned around to look at the corner of the room, and Will was suddenly confronted with the older man’s bare ass because neither of them had any clothes besides the hospital gowns with tie-up backs. Will embarrassedly looked away and closed his eyes. Eventually, he was able to empty his bladder.

“Um…Okay, I’m done.” Will said.

Hannibal turned to face him again.

“Is it alright if I lift your gown and take the catheter out, Will?” Hannibal asked.

Will shyly nodded, then he avoided looking at Hannibal as he completed the task. He was very gentle and professional about the whole thing, which Will appreciated.

“All finished. Can you walk okay? I kept badgering the medical staff until they finally gave you physiotherapy for the past three months, simply stretching your limbs and keeping you mobile.” Hannibal said.

Will was taken aback by how much Hannibal appeared to care about his welfare. He remained silent as he sat up and put his feet on the floor. Will felt weak and wobbly, but he managed to stand up. He was startled when he felt Hannibal’s arm go around his waist to support him. They took a few steps together, and Hannibal deemed Will fit enough to leave.

“You’ll be okay. I’ll take care of you from now on.” Hannibal said.

Will wasn’t sure what that would entail, or for how long. Despite his misgivings, he would go along with Hannibal. At least they would escape the hospital and their impending arrest.

“You remember your alias, right?” Will whispered.

“Of course. Very clever of you.” Hannibal said.

Will felt flattered for some reason. Hannibal guided him out of their hospital room and down the corridor to a reception desk. The hospital was quiet and there was only a handful of staff working because it was the middle of the night.

“We wish to sign ourselves out.” Hannibal said.

“Okay. Sign here.” The worker said.

Hannibal signed the form as ‘Hans Lester’ and then Will signed with his real name.

“Alrighty, um…We don’t have any personal belongings of yours, Mr. Lester, but we _do_ have Mr. Graham’s wallet. I’ll get it for you.” The worker said.

“I realize that. Thank you.” Hannibal said.

The worker went down the hall to a locker room and got the wallet, then returned to the desk. Will was disappointed by the lack of compassion; the worker didn’t offer them any scrubs or even clothes from the Lost & Found.

“We don’t have an address on file. We need an address.” The worker said.

Will listened in surprise as Hannibal provided a man’s name and address.

“My cousin Rodney is the only family I have. He takes care of things like this for me.” Hannibal said in a shameless lie.

Hannibal had memorized this particularly rude IT guy’s contact info from his rolodex.

“Thanks. You’re all set. Good luck with everything.” The worker said.

“Thank you.” Hannibal said.

Will followed Hannibal out the sliding doors of the hospital and he felt the balmy Summer breeze on his bare skin. Hannibal’s attention zeroed in on a young woman in scrubs, who was laughing and finishing some flirtatious conversation with two ambulance workers. The back of the ambulance was open, and the two workers left the vehicle to go into the hospital. Hannibal addressed the young woman as she walked closer.

“Could you perhaps help us out? We seem to find ourselves without any clothes.” Hannibal said charmingly.

The woman looked them up and down very interestedly. She smiled and chuckled.

“You got nothing on under those gowns?” She said flirtatiously.

“That’s correct.” Hannibal said.

“Mm. Damn…Um, I think I can find some stuff for you. Hang on.” She said, then she eagerly rushed into the hospital.

A few minutes later, the young woman returned with two sets of scrubs.

“You can change in the bathroom or something.” She said.

The young woman watched while Hannibal pulled the pants on and then removed his gown. She stared at his chest until he donned the short-sleeved scrub shirt. Will was amused when she turned her attention to him. Hannibal supported him while he pulled up the pants and then he was able to take his own gown off. The woman was still gazing at him as he put the shirt on.

“Wow, you look like doctors.” She said.

Hannibal smirked.

“This was very kind of you. I don’t imagine you have any shoes lying around…?” Hannibal said.

“No, sorry. Good luck, guys.” She said with a wink, then she had to get back to work, so she went into the hospital.

Hannibal led Will over to the back of the ambulance.

“We’re not stealing the ambulance.” Will said.

“No, we’re not.” Hannibal said as he got into the back.

Will watched Hannibal rifle through stuff, then the older man got out of the ambulance, brandishing two pairs of sneakers.

“They switched to work boots and left their regular shoes in there.” Hannibal said.

Will glanced around guiltily, then they hurriedly put the shoes on; they didn’t fit very well, but they were better than nothing. Hannibal grabbed Will around the waist and ushered him along the sidewalk, away from the hospital. They walked for only about five minutes and Will was out of breath. His muscles burned and felt stiff.

“I need a break.” Will said breathlessly.

Hannibal stopped and looked around for a place to sit, but there was none. He helped Will sit down on the sidewalk, with his back against a postal box.

“You need some protein for your muscles.” Hannibal said.

“Hannibal, _no_ …” Will groaned disgustedly, thinking he was intending to kill someone and cook them.

Hannibal reached into his pocket and pulled out a small item.

“A protein bar, Will. From the ambulance drivers’ belongings.” Hannibal explained, then he opened the package and crouched down to offer Will a bite.

Will carefully bit a small piece, and he was able to chew it and swallow it. Hannibal’s attention was drawn to some distance away, to a large vehicle heading in their direction.

“Oh, here we go. Can you stand? We’ll get a ride from them.” Hannibal said, then he helped Will up to his feet.

Will was aghast as he saw the vehicle in better detail. It was a white caravan, like something out of a bad horror movie. They were probably a bunch of cannibalistic hippies from a cult out in the woods. Come to think of it, he and Hannibal would fit right in. Hannibal used his thumb to indicate he wanted to hitchhike, and the caravan pulled over to the curb.

“Where ya going?” The driver asked.

“Wherever you can take us.” Hannibal said.

“Hop in.” The driver said, then a woman opened the back door of the caravan.

Hannibal helped Will into the vehicle and then he got in and shut the door.

The woman offered them her marijuana joint.

“No thank you. So, where are you headed?” Hannibal said.

“Florida.” The woman said.

“Great. You can drop us off anywhere along the way.” Hannibal said.

Will wondered how the hell they were going to survive.

“You see, we’re running away together,” Hannibal said, then he grasped Will’s hand and held it, “People at work, and…our girlfriends…they didn’t understand.”

Will gaped at Hannibal; this backstory was completely unnecessary, not to mention false and preposterous. He almost pulled his hand away, but he figured he’d better play along.

“Aww. That’s so romantic.” The woman said.

“Thank you.” Hannibal said, then he pushed his luck by kissing Will on the cheek.

The younger man bristled with tension and hostility, but the woman didn’t notice. She yelled up to the driver.

“Gary! We’re taking them to Florida with us! They need our help!” She said.

“Okay!” The man yelled from the front.

After that, the woman just spaced out and relaxed. Will was tired; his head drooped as he almost dozed off a few times. He felt Hannibal coax him closer, so he reluctantly rested his head on the older man’s shoulder. Hannibal gently put his cheek on Will’s head, and eventually they both fell asleep. The car’s lack of movement woke Will up as the driver parked at a rest stop. Will was embarrassed to realize he’d slept on Hannibal’s shoulder, but when it was time to get back on the road again, Will timidly put his head there once more. Hannibal made a decent pillow. Better than nothing, he told himself.

(To Be Continued…)


	2. Chapter 2

Will and Hannibal endured a long road trip to Florida. It was made to feel longer for Will, thanks to Hannibal continuing to put on a show, pretending they were lovers. Hannibal would pet his head, kiss his cheek, hold his hand, and Will had to go along with it all, including being expected to cuddle up to Hannibal to sleep. When they finally arrived in the Sunshine State, their travel companions helped them settle in St. Augustine. Hannibal had charmed the couple, so they set him and Will up in a motel room and gave them a bit of money to get back on their feet. The couple wished them well and moved on to Daytona Beach.

Their first night in the motel room, Will sat against the headboard of his bed and started crying. He covered his face with his hands, and he felt the bed slowly compress near his feet as Hannibal sat down.

“Why are you crying, Will?” Hannibal asked gently.

Will scoffed.

“We’re stranded in a fucking motel room in Florida without a car, clothes, food—other than a few days’ worth—Not that we _deserve_ to have anything. We’re not even supposed to be alive. I feel like I’m stuck in purgatory.” Will said shakily, full of roiling emotions.

“…Why did you do it, Will?” Hannibal asked.

“Pull you off the cliff with me? I told you. I was putting us down. You and I…whatever you turned me into, or…whatever you helped me become…are abominations.” Will said.

“The world needs monsters. Light needs dark.” Hannibal said.

“No.” Will said stubbornly.

“You are caught between your morality and your instinct to survive. You wanted to escape the hospital to evade legal ramifications and now you’re wallowing in self-hatred again. If you could let go of your moral compass, you could focus on building a new life.” Hannibal said plainly.

“Wallowing? I’m sorry I’m not a complete fucking psychopath who just mimics human emotions!” Will said venomously.

Hannibal was disappointed that Will chose to cling to his self-loathing.

“Okay. I’m going to sleep.” Hannibal said, standing up and then getting into his own bed.

Will felt his blood boiling as Hannibal coolly shrugged off the insult that was intended to hurt him. Hannibal switched his lamp off and turned away from Will; he heard the young man turn the other lamp off, then he heard him angrily pounding his fist into the pillow instead of calmly adjusting it.

“Your strength is improving.” Hannibal said.

“Fuck off.” Will muttered.

Will was fuming mad for a long time, but eventually, he dozed off. Next thing he knew, he was awakened by Hannibal’s fearful whimpering and thrashing around. He was having nightmares again. Will sighed and threw the blankets back, then he went to Hannibal and put his hands on his shoulders.

“Hannibal. Wake up. Hey!” Will said, shaking him.

The older man gasped as he was startled into wakefulness. Will found himself pulled into Hannibal’s arms and squished so hard, he could barely breathe.

“I thought we were drowning…” Hannibal said breathlessly, holding onto Will for dear life.

“We’re— _not!”_ Will managed to say.

Hannibal’s embrace loosened slightly.

“Sorry, Will.” Hannibal said quietly.

“…It’s okay.” Will said.

Will noticed that Hannibal wasn’t letting go of him yet; he also noticed that it was surprisingly comforting. They had become accustomed to leaning on each other to sleep in the caravan during the road trip. Come to think of it, Hannibal didn’t have as many nightmares during the trip; the nurse at the hospital had said his nightmares were constant. Will thought that perhaps Hannibal was comforted by his presence, too. It would save them both from a terrible, restless night if he just stayed here in Hannibal’s bed.

Hannibal was so shocked when Will settled comfortably against him, he thought he might be dreaming. Several long moments passed, then Will spoke.

“Go back to sleep.” Will said sleepily.

“…Alright…thank you, Will.” Hannibal said.

Will didn’t reply, but he pulled the blankets up and rested his cheek on Hannibal’s shoulder. He felt pretty cozy, actually. They both quickly fell asleep.

In the morning, Hannibal woke up and opened his eyes to see Will’s face in front of him. Will was still asleep. Hannibal wanted to caress his cheek but he refrained. His heart ached at the thought of losing Will, which would be especially painful after dragging them both back from the brink of death. Hannibal worried that Will might go off on his own soon, once he regained his strength and found some menial job to survive on. Hannibal had to find a way to keep the young man with him.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Will was dreaming about Hannibal’s voice just before he woke up. He couldn’t tell if it was a memory or a dream, and he wondered if Hannibal had talked to him while he was in a coma. Would he be able to remember it if Hannibal _had_ talked to him? Will looked around and realized he was alone in Hannibal’s motel bed. He felt panic rising inside him at the thought of being alone, being abandoned. Maybe after pushing Hannibal away so often, for so long, he finally left. Will realized that wasn’t what he truly wanted. His stomach dropped and his heart seemed to sink with it.

Feeling lost, Will sat frozen for some time, then he forced himself out of bed and into the shower. The soothing spray of water only consoled him momentarily, then his thoughts went to being destitute in an unfamiliar city, having to make it on his own, having to survive without Hannibal. He wasn’t sure if he would be able to navigate this journey, and if he could start over at his age, after everything he’d been through. How do you go back to normal after all that?

With a heavy heart, Will finished his shower and dried off with the scratchy towel. He put the towel around his waist and stared at the t-shirt and jeans he’d been given by the generous couple who drove them to Florida. His wardrobe consisted of stolen hospital scrubs, ill-fitting stolen shoes, a t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Will wondered what the hell he was going to do. Go knocking on doors for a job? Go panhandling?

Will was startled when the motel room door opened. He squinted against the sunlight, then he saw that it was Hannibal. The door closed and he noticed that Hannibal was wearing a fancy beige suit, and he was holding shopping bags of all sorts. Will figured he was dreaming again or having the psychotic break that had been long in the making.

Hannibal put the shopping bags down and looked in concern at Will, who was backed against the wall like a frightened animal.

“Will, are you alright?” Hannibal asked.

“I…don’t know.” Will said anxiously.

“Take some deep breaths for me. Can you do that?” Hannibal said, stepping closer.

Will breathed heavily.

“Wh-what’s happening?” Will asked in confusion.

“I have good news. I got a job.” Hannibal said.

Will was still exhibiting severe anxiety, so Hannibal coaxed him over to the nearest bed and sat him down.

“Deep breaths, Will…everything’s going to be fine.” Hannibal said, crouching down to maintain eye contact; he put his hands on Will’s knees.

Will was eventually successful in bringing his pulse and respiration down.

“…I thought…you left.” Will said quietly.

“No. I would never abandon you, Will. I went out early this morning. I shoplifted these clothes and shoes, then I walked to the law firm of an acquaintance. When I say acquaintance, I mean a man who found his way into my rolodex in the past. Someone I hadn’t yet had the opportunity to…see again. Anyway, I decided to be resourceful and stop by his office to ‘catch up’. He was quite pleased. Since he knows me slightly, he hired me on the spot. Also, being an unscrupulous pig, he doesn’t care that law enforcement is still trying to figure out whether I should be presumed dead. So there. No credentials or references required. I obtained an advance on my first few months of pay.” Hannibal said.

Will just gaped at Hannibal in disbelief, but then he managed to recover.

“Uh…what did you get hired as?” Will asked.

“I suppose my title would be ‘consultant’. I will review personality profiles, statements, criminal records and so on and provide my expert opinion about such things as truthfulness, instability, mental illness, risk of recidivism. I’ll report directly to Mr. Stowe, my new employer.” Hannibal said, then he stood up.

“Did you plan on coming here to St. Augustine to see Mr. Stowe?” Will asked.

“No, but after searching my mind palace last night and this morning, I decided on this course of action.” Hannibal said as he rustled through the shopping bags.

Will turned and watched Hannibal pull clothes out of one of the bags.

“We have clothes, shoes, supplies, groceries…These are for you to wear today.” Hannibal said, brandishing a blue short-sleeved buttoned shirt and tan slim-leg trousers.

“…They’re not my usual style.” Will noted.

“You’re going to complain?” Hannibal said incredulously.

“No! No, I’m not gonna complain. Sorry. Thank you for…everything.” Will said sheepishly.

“You’re welcome.” Hannibal said, then he used a pocket knife to cut the tags off the clothes for Will.

Will wasn’t sure he liked the idea of Hannibal having a pocket knife, but it couldn’t be prevented.

“Um…what will I do, for a job?” Will asked.

“For now, nothing. You can be my trophy husband.” Hannibal said lightheartedly.

“I’m your _husband_ now?!” Will said; a few days ago, the story was that they were running away together and now it was that they were _married?_ Then Will realized he’d said ‘trophy husband’, meaning Will was a catch, a prize, to be paraded around…He felt a little flattered.

“Why not? It explains our closeness, and you will be entitled to my benefits from work.” Hannibal said.

Will wasn’t sure what to say, so he just put the shirt on. Hannibal watched him as he buttoned it up.

“…Did you happen to buy underwear and socks?” Will asked as Hannibal just stared at him.

“Oh, yes. My apologies.” Hannibal said, then he emptied a plastic shopping bag of underwear and socks onto the bed.

Will looked through them, and he chose some boxer briefs and socks, then he went into the bathroom to finish dressing in privacy.

Hannibal sat on the bed and waited for Will to emerge in his new outfit; the young man looked stunning in the light Summery clothes. The trousers hugged his delectable butt. Will was adorably self-conscious in the new clothes; he kept fidgeting with them and looking in the mirror.

“You look _unbelievably_ handsome, Will. Trust me.” Hannibal assured him.

Will blushed lightly and avoided eye contact.

“And speaking of trust…I should mention that I paid the rental deposit on an upscale apartment for us.” Hannibal admitted.

“What?!” Will said.

“You’ll love it. It’s much better than staying here. We can go as soon as you’re ready. Unfortunately, we’ll have to take the bus until I can get a car.” Hannibal said plainly.

Will stared at Hannibal.

“What the…Who _are_ you?! How do you _do_ this shit?!” Will said.

“I’m very resourceful.” Hannibal said.

“Of course, it helps when you look like a fucking aristocratic supermodel. People just throw money and opportunities at you.” Will said.

“Are you complaining again?” Hannibal asked.

“…No. It’s just crazy.” Will said.

“Well, we are benefitting from society’s craziness. Let’s have some orange juice and croissants from the grocery store, then we’ll move into our apartment. It’s fully furnished, by the way.” Hannibal said.

“Fully furnished,” Will muttered, “—Not that I’m complaining.”

Hannibal smirked and retrieved their breakfast items from the bag.

(To Be Continued…)


	3. Chapter 3

Will and Hannibal brought their bags of new stuff with them and caught the bus after Hannibal figured out the route. Will studied Hannibal, and he almost laughed at how out of place he seemed on public transit. He looked as if he should be driving around in a convertible BMW, which would probably happen soon enough, given Hannibal’s unbelievable luck, skill, charm and resourcefulness. Will glanced around at some of the other passengers, and he realized he was being stared at. People either looked amused, curious or disgusted. He wondered what the issue was at first, then it dawned on him that they must think he’s Hannibal’s toy boy, or ‘sugar baby’. Will blushed and avoided eye contact for the duration of the bus ride. When their stop approached, Will pulled the cord to ring the bell, because Hannibal wasn’t sure how to indicate he wanted to get off. He’d either never used public transit before, or it had been a very long time. For once, Hannibal seemed a tad embarrassed at this small area of incompetence in his otherwise skilled repertoire. Will found it ever so slightly endearing; embarrassment was a difficult emotion to fake, especially in front of an empath such as himself. It had been real. He was reminded that Hannibal was human.

Will followed Hannibal down the sidewalk and to the entrance of a swanky modern upscale apartment building. Hannibal led the way to the office, where they picked up their keys. Will noticed the superintendent called Hannibal ‘Mr. Lester’, so once they were alone in the elevator, he turned to the older man.

“You’re going as Hans Lester here but your real name at work?” Will asked.

“Yes. There’s a paper trail here, whereas at my new employer’s firm, there is none. I will be paid in cash, and my advance was given to me in cash.” Hannibal said.

“…Won’t it be hard to keep track of your names?” Will said.

“No.” Hannibal said assuredly.

Will supposed it wouldn’t be very difficult for someone accustomed to keeping their lies straight and their double life separate.

“Okay.” Will said.

When Hannibal opened the apartment door and let Will into their new home, he felt mixed emotions. He was elated but he had to rein that in because Will might still leave him at some point. Will was probably only staying because he was dependent on him. Hannibal was always disarmed by Will. It was a continuous cycle of letting his guard down, allowing the young man behind the veil, and then having to put it back up to protect his already broken heart.

“…Do you like it?” Hannibal asked as Will glanced around and then stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows, appreciating the view.

“It’s amazing.” Will said quietly.

Hannibal approached him and stood at his side, gazing out at the horizon.

“But you feel guilty for having it. Am I right?” Hannibal said.

“Yes.” Will said.

Hannibal turned to Will and gently put his hand on his cheek to coax him into making eye contact. The young man turned to him and his sad blue eyes pierced Hannibal’s soul for a painful moment. Hannibal cupped Will’s face in his hands.

“I know you won’t take my word for it, but…you _deserve_ to be here, Will, to have things. You bring beauty to this world, and…” Hannibal said, then he paused.

Will’s eyes expectantly searched his face.

“To my life.” Hannibal said; he decided to just say it.

Will was moved to tears. It was such a touching sentiment, even if Hannibal’s concept of beauty was extremely skewed. Will felt Hannibal’s thumbs gently wipe his tears from his cheeks.

“I’m so exhausted.” Will said sorrowfully.

“You need to rest. Come with me.” Hannibal said, then he ushered him down the hall.

“Which bedroom would you like?” Hannibal asked.

Will looked briefly into both rooms.

“Doesn’t matter.” Will said.

“Okay. I’ll put you in this one, it gets more sunlight. You’ll get some vitamin D, and it will help combat your depression.” Hannibal said as he sat Will on the bed and coaxed him under the blankets.

Will was slightly amused by the way Hannibal fussed over the blankets, pillow, and curtains, trying to make everything perfect.

“Get some rest. I’ll be in the other room. I’m tired, too.” Hannibal said.

“Okay. Thanks.” Will said sleepily.

“You’re welcome.” Hannibal said quietly, then he left the room.

Will was physically comfortable in the bed but he felt distressingly lonely.

Hannibal was in his bedroom; he slipped his shoes off, got under the blankets and settled into a comfortable position. Several minutes later, just as Hannibal was dozing off, Will came into the room and casually got in bed with him.

“I can’t sleep.” Will complained.

Hannibal smiled to himself as Will snuggled closer. Hannibal would swap rooms with Will later so that they would both end up in the sunny room. Whichever room Hannibal slept in, Will would obviously sleep there, too. Hannibal wondered if this was just another form of the young man’s dependence on him, or if there could be some affection or genuine attachment behind it. Surely it was only a matter of Will being conditioned to sleep better with him nearby, nothing more.

“Hannibal?” Will said timidly.

“Hm?” Hannibal responded.

“I dreamt about your voice this morning…Did you talk to me while I was in a coma?” Will asked.

“Of course. Whenever the medical staff left, I would lean closer and speak to you.” Hannibal said.

“Really?” Will said emotionally.

“Yes, Will. I was…whispering through your chrysalis once again.” Hannibal said, with his eyes stinging with tears.

Hannibal was behind Will, so the young man didn’t see his eyes welling up.

“…What kinds of things did you say to me?” Will asked.

“Don’t worry, it was nothing insidious, Will. I told you that I missed you, that you’d pull through, that I longed to see your smile again…” Hannibal said quietly.

Will curled up and sobbed.

“Don’t manipulate me, Hannibal. I can’t take it.” Will said desperately.

“I’m not, apart from trying to make you understand how much you mean to me.” Hannibal.

Will sniffled and remained curled up as if to protect himself, so Hannibal moved closer and embraced him from behind. He held him tightly and planted a kiss on his shoulder. The little kiss seemed to surprise Will, because he stopped crying. Hannibal worried he’d crossed the line with Will, so he gently released him and backed away slightly.

“Can you…keep holding me, please? I…might be able to fall asleep if you’re holding me.” Will said shyly.

Hannibal wondered if Will was manipulating him; they were experts in ripping each other’s hearts out. However, he couldn’t resist feeling the young man against him, so he moved closer.

Will stretched out a little bit so that he wasn’t curled up in a ball, then he felt Hannibal’s body against his own. Will’s cheeks warmed as Hannibal spooned him very closely; a lot closer than he expected. It included their lower bodies being pressed together. The older man’s arm went around his waist. Will’s pulse quickened. The physical intimacy was surprising enough, but on top of that, Will’s body was responding in an unexpected way. Will started to get an erection, and although he wasn’t religious, he prayed that Hannibal wouldn’t notice somehow. Of course, Hannibal wouldn’t notice, unless he happened to put his hand down there… _Fuck_ , Will thought, as the idea further aroused him.

“Is this okay, Will? Do you think you’ll be able to sleep?” Hannibal asked.

“Yep…thank you.” Will said tensely.

Hannibal also started to become erect and he was in a very compromising position; Will would be able to feel it against his butt. Hannibal subtly moved his lower body away from the younger man.

Will looked around nervously; did Hannibal just move away because he was getting hard, too? Will didn’t know if he’d ever be able to sleep after that thought, but he tried. After a long while, he managed to doze off as his exhaustion caught up with him.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hannibal awoke from his nap, and he opened his eyes to see Will sleeping on his back in front of him. It reminded him of when Will was in a coma; the painful memory compelled him to touch the young man.

Will was gently pulled from sleep by a hand petting his forehead and slowly pushing his hair back. He felt a feather-light kiss on his eyebrow while the fingers went into his hair. Will took a breath and moaned softly; he gradually and drowsily realized that Hannibal was the one caressing his hair.

“Hannibal.” Will murmured.

“I’m right here, Will.” Hannibal soothed.

“That’s what I was afraid of.” Will said, then he cracked a smile and opened his eyes.

Hannibal smirked.

“Hm. Still feisty.” Hannibal noted.

“Always.” Will said lightheartedly.

“Did you have a good sleep?” Hannibal asked quietly.

“Yeah. For the first time since I…came out of the coma, I felt safe and secure enough to _truly_ relax. I had a solid sleep. Thank you.” Will said.

“I’m glad. I slept well, too. Perhaps we should switch bedrooms, though. I can take the sunny one and you can join me in there.” Hannibal said.

“No, I like this one.” Will said.

Will turned onto his side to face Hannibal.

“Um…I felt you kiss me—my eyebrow, I mean.” Will said softly.

“I figured you would. I wasn’t trying to hide it.” Hannibal said.

“…Did you do that when I was in a coma?” Will asked.

“Not exactly. I sometimes kissed you on the head when I wanted to smell your hair, and I held your hand. I touched your cheek.” Hannibal said quietly.

“I can’t really imagine that.” Will said; it was hard to believe the serial killer could be so tender.

Hannibal caressed his cheek, nuzzled his nose into his hair and kissed him on the head, then he held his hand.

“…Do you think it helped with the coma?” Will asked shyly.

“I hoped it would, but mainly, it just helped me cope.” Hannibal said softly.

Will blushed lightly as he felt Hannibal’s fingers interlace with his own.

“I didn’t know you cared about me so much…I mean, I didn’t think it was possible for you to feel something so deeply.” Will said, omitting the ‘because you’re a psychopath’ part.

“I would argue that depth of emotion is subjective. But to put it in perspective for you, I have never felt something so strongly, Will. For me, the feelings I have for you are…fathomless.” Hannibal said.

“I can’t tell if you’re lying to me or not.” Will said as a defence mechanism.

“What would I gain by lying to you about such matters?” Hannibal asked.

“I dunno…” Will said.

“Nothing. Every time I take a step closer to you, you take a step back. Or worse, you push me away. All I would gain from confessing my feelings for you is more heartache. It’s a leap forward in your direction, and as such, there’s a risk you will push me away permanently.” Hannibal said.

“That’s a little melodramatic, don’t you think?” Will said.

“You’re deflecting again.” Hannibal said.

“Fine. Um…This morning, when I thought you took off somewhere without me, I realized that even though I’m scared to get too close to you, but…I don’t want to push you away permanently.” Will admitted.

Will saw Hannibal’s eyes light up at this glimmer of hope, and he realized the older man truly was at his mercy. Will discovered that he didn’t want to break Hannibal’s heart, as much as he might deserve it. He felt Hannibal’s hand still grasping his own, and he looked down to study the way their hands looked together. Hannibal’s hands had destroyed lives and saved lives. They were figuratively covered with blood. Will could no longer be righteous or sanctimonious; he had blood on his hands, too, and he’d enjoyed putting it there.

Hannibal watched Will as he curiously turned their hands and scrutinized them, lost in thought. Will’s fingers experimentally moved against his own, and it was a sensual experience. Hannibal felt that it was erotic, but Will seemed to be innocently curious.

“You’re afraid to get too close to me. How close is too close, Will?” Hannibal asked.

Will adorably shied away from his gaze, almost hiding his face in the pillow.

“I don’t know. That’s what worries me.” Will said quietly.

“What do you think will happen…when we get closer?” Hannibal asked.

Will shrugged subtly.

“Perhaps it’s just fear of the unknown. Or perhaps deep down, I know what would happen. We would become truly inseparable, and there would be no turning back.” Will said.

“There is already no turning back. Our life is here now.” Hannibal said.

“I guess.” Will said halfheartedly.

Hannibal reluctantly unlocked their hands.

“We should have a meal and then go buy some cell phones.” Hannibal said.

“Who are we going to call?” Will said skeptically.

“Each other.” Hannibal said.

“…Okay.” Will agreed.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Will followed Hannibal up to the customer service counter at the cell phone retailer.

“We’ll take the two best phones you have.” Hannibal said.

The worker looked excited while Will cringed.

“Would you excuse us for a moment?” Will said, then he subtly tugged Hannibal’s sleeve.

When they stepped far enough away from the counter, Will leaned closer.

“Do you have enough money for this spending spree? And what do we need the fanciest phones for?!” Will said in a harsh whisper.

“I have enough money, and we need good quality phones that are reliable, so we can talk to each other and share photos.” Hannibal said.

Will glanced around embarrassedly.

“We’re gonna send each other photos?! You think we’re on vacation or something?!” Will said.

“Will, you need to stop being so uptight. Do you want a phone or not?” Hannibal said.

“…Yes.” Will said sheepishly.

“Good.” Hannibal, nodding, then they returned to the counter.

“Sorry about that. We needed to discuss our budget. He thinks I spend too much.” Hannibal said.

The worker laughed.

“My husband complains about my spending, too.” The worker said.

Will blushed and just stared at the floor. People kept getting the impression he was Hannibal’s husband, and Hannibal seemed to enjoy it. Will impatiently waited for the excruciatingly long process of buying and setting up the phones to be complete, then thankfully, he and Hannibal went home to their new apartment.

(To Be Continued…)


	4. Chapter 4

Back at the apartment, Will went into ‘his’ bedroom, although he hadn’t yet spent much time in there, since he slept better next to Hannibal. He went through the bag of clothes and looked at the pyjamas, but then he realized he felt too warm for pyjama pants and a t-shirt. Will undressed down to his boxer shorts instead. His new cell phone was on the bed, and it jingled and lit up. Will picked it up and saw that he’d received a photo of the sunset from Hannibal. He went out into the living room and tilted his head in mock irritation at Hannibal, who was standing by the window.

“You’re gonna send me pictures all the time?” Will said, although lightheartedly.

“Not all the time. This is the first sunset we’re seeing from our new home. I wanted to commemorate it.” Hannibal said.

That was such a sweet sentiment, Will felt bad for teasing him about it; he hung his head and looked at the photo on his phone again.

“It…it’s a very nice picture. Thanks.” Will said.

Hannibal surveyed Will, who was only in boxer shorts. He looked particularly breathtaking in the pinkish orange glow from the setting sun. He noticed the young man was thinner than he had been before the fall and the coma. They both were thinner and less muscular. Hannibal wanted to feed the poor boy and build up his strength. The elastic waistband of Will’s boxer shorts was tantalizingly loose; it made Hannibal want to slide his fingers under it.

“Come here, Will.” Hannibal said gently.

Will lifted his head and looked at him with his big blue eyes. He timidly approached and stood near him.

“Let’s watch the sun sink beneath the horizon. It’s better than looking at a photograph.” Hannibal suggested.

Will turned to face the window and he looked out at the cityscape, the trees, the pink sky, the little purplish clouds. For the first time in…he couldn’t even remember…Will felt a sense of awe. It was a pleasant experience that lightened his mood slightly; it made him aware that he still had the capacity for pleasant emotions. Will looked beside him at Hannibal; the older man was gazing up at the stars that were now visible. Will felt something pleasant again, but he didn’t label it. He went back to looking at the landscape.

When darkness fell, Hannibal turned to Will and studied him in this different lighting. The dramatic shadows and paleness of Will’s fair skin painted an ethereal picture. Hannibal found himself staring at the younger man, appreciating his beauty.

Will could tell Hannibal was staring at him, so he turned towards the older man and tried to read his expression. Hannibal appeared to be intrigued, perhaps even infatuated, like he was seeing him for the first time.

“What?” Will asked quietly.

“You look…” Hannibal said.

Will nodded wryly.

“I think the word you’re searching for is ‘gaunt’. It’s from the five-month coma.” Will said.

“You’ll regain your strength and vitality. I’ll see to it myself.” Hannibal vowed.

Will’s lips twitched into a smirk.

“You’re going to prescribe a diet and exercise regimen, Doctor?” Will said.

“Yes. Plenty of protein and strength-building exercises.” Hannibal said.

“About the protein…” Will said worriedly.

“From the grocery store, Will.” Hannibal assured him.

Will nodded gratefully.

“Okay. Are you going to do that for yourself, too? You’re not as strong as you used to be.” Will said.

“Absolutely. I’m determined to find my way back to full health.” Hannibal said.

Will was a little startled when Hannibal stripped off his short-sleeved undershirt. He furtively surveyed his bare chest and abdomen in the dim light.

“It’s interesting that we can’t see our scars in this light. See? No scars.” Hannibal noted, looking down at his own abdomen.

Will stared, now that he had permission.

“Right…” Will said vaguely.

“We’re riddled with battle scars, and surgical scars. These bodies of ours have been through a lot. We need to feel good again, Will. We need touch, and pampering, and nourishment.” Hannibal said.

“…Yeah.” Will said; he was kind of tuning out Hannibal’s rambling medical and psychoanalytical rhetoric.

“Human touch can be very therapeutic. Come closer.” Hannibal said.

“Wait, what?” Will said in surprise, but Hannibal was already coaxing him into an embrace.

Will felt unsettled by Hannibal’s skin brushing against his own as the older man put his arms around him. Their chests slowly pressed together. Will felt awkward just standing there, so he finally put his hands on Hannibal’s back to make it more of a proper hug. This was a new experience; they were hugging each other, shirtless and skin-to-skin. Will was very warm and his knees felt wobbly for some reason, then he finally labelled his feelings as nervousness and excitement. The wobbliness progressively got worse when Hannibal caressed the back of Will’s head in a loving manner and then put his hands on Will’s lower back to gently pull his lower body closer. Their bodies were flush together.

Hannibal heard Will sigh shakily for a moment.

“Hannibal…” Will whispered nervously.

Hannibal felt Will start to tense up and fret, and he realized it was because the young man was embarrassed about getting an erection.

“It’s okay, Will.” Hannibal soothed, but Will pulled away, so he let him go.

“I…I’m going to bed.” Will blurted out anxiously, then he took off.

Hannibal sighed disappointedly. He waited several moments, then he went down the hall to the bedrooms. Will had gone into his own room and closed the door, only leaving it ajar maybe an inch. Hannibal respected Will’s privacy; he went to his room across the hall and got into bed alone. Sometime later, however, Hannibal was woken up by Will getting into bed with him; he smiled to himself.

“Hello, Will.” Hannibal said.

“…I’ve gotten into a pattern of sleeping better whenever you’re close by.” Will explained.

“I know.” Hannibal said gently.

“About earlier, I didn’t mean to uh…” Will began nervously.

“No need to explain. I _told_ you that touch was therapeutic.” Hannibal said.

“Yeah, but…” Will said embarrassedly.

“It felt good. I was excited by it, too.” Hannibal said.

“You didn’t uh… _react_ like I did, though.” Will said wryly.

“I did, but you ran away too quickly to notice. If you would’ve seen me right afterwards, I was very hard—” Hannibal was saying.

“Can we just drop this now?” Will said, now even more thoroughly embarrassed.

“Yes, but I’m simply normalizing your body’s response so that you don’t feel ashamed.” Hannibal said.

“Look, I don’t want you to give me a therapy session in bed.” Will said.

“That’s a shame. I love giving therapy in bed.” Hannibal said lightheartedly.

Will couldn’t stop blushing; he kicked the blankets off because he was too warm. Meanwhile, Hannibal was amused; he’d made Will hot and bothered. What a gratifying experience.

“…Goodnight.” Will said.

“Goodnight, Will.” Hannibal said, then he smirked in the darkness.

Later, in the middle of the night, Will woke up feeling cold, so he reached down for the blankets and pulled them up, then he felt around for Hannibal. His hand landed on Hannibal’s butt; Will hoped he didn’t notice. He moved closer to the older man and snuggled against him for warmth.

Hannibal awoke and found himself in the little spoon position, with Will pressed against his back and butt. Never in a million years would he have expected this to happen. The near-death experience of the fall and the subsequent recovery definitely brought them closer. Their physical intimacy was much stronger now. Hannibal longed for more than that, but this was a beautiful development in their relationship nonetheless. He listened to Will’s breathing, and it sounded like he was asleep, but then he felt Will’s bulge momentarily press against his butt. Hannibal arched his back and greedily rubbed his butt against Will’s manhood. Will apparently woke up, sighed and turned over. They were now back to back and Hannibal was left disappointed again.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In the morning, Will slowly became aware of warm, wet kisses on his neck. He also became aware of how horny he was; he was rock-hard and desperately craving stimulation. As Will moved fully into wakefulness, he felt a large hand lightly land on his chest. He gasped.

“ _Hannibal_.” Will said in shock, moving away from him.

“Do you still hate me that much, Will? Am I so repulsive, that you recoil at my touch?” Hannibal asked earnestly.

“It—it’s not that. It’s the _idea_ of it…how can I feel this way about a cannibalistic serial killer?!” Will said nervously.

Hannibal hated being referred to that way, but he permitted it.

“Feel _what_ way, Will?” Hannibal probed.

“Attached…enthralled….” Will confessed shamefully.

Hannibal was astonished.

“I think…I might be falling for you—which is _insane_! You destroyed my life and turned my world upside down, and you’re a monster. I’m a monster, too, but I don’t want to be, and the whole thing is terrifying—” Will was saying, then Hannibal kissed him; his mind went blank.

For Hannibal, this was the only way to get Will to stop overthinking everything and just go with his instincts. It worked. The young man began to return his kiss, pressing their mouths together a little more firmly. Surprisingly, it was Will who first turned the kiss into a passionate one; he tilted his head and opened his lips. Hannibal eagerly took the invitation and started open-mouth kissing Will; he caressed the back of Will’s head and put his fingers into his soft loose curls.

Will got lost in the moment, not thinking about anything but the pleasure he felt as Hannibal gently grasped his hair and playfully nipped his bottom lip. Hannibal’s mouth was suddenly on his throat, and his hand tugged his hair a little harder. Will put his head back, surrendering to the older man.

“Hannibal…” Will said, not in shock or protest this time, but in pleasure.

Hannibal was ecstatic; his seduction of Will Graham was successful after all this time, all the resistance. Hannibal wondered if Will was somehow tricking him, but when he looked down and noticed Will’s erection straining against the fabric of his boxers, he realized it was no trick. He captured the young man’s mouth again in a heated kiss while he slid his hand into his boxers. Will couldn’t help moaning and writhing as he felt Hannibal’s hand grasp his cock.

“Oh god…” Will breathed shakily.

Will blushed as Hannibal gave him slow, firm strokes, up and down. He shuddered and whimpered.

“You’re so hard, Will…let me make you come.” Hannibal rumbled lustfully.

Will weakly nodded in assent, so Hannibal moved lower on the bed. Will submissively let the older man yank his boxers down. He was quite nervous as Hannibal bent forward and took him into his mouth, but he soon relaxed into the blissful sensations. The warm wet sucking, the vibrations from Hannibal moaning appreciatively, the gentle fingertip nudging his perineum to heighten his pleasure. Will panted and clutched the bedding in his hands.

Hannibal was grateful for every second that Will allowed him to do this. It was everything he’d hoped for, and everything he’d been wanting for so long. If Hannibal died right now, he’d be fine, because at least he had Will. The young man was trembling and breathing heavily; he was exquisite. He felt Will timidly move his hips, trying to quicken the pace, so he gladly obliged. Hannibal bobbed up and down, tightening his lips and sucking hard.

“ _Ohh_ …” Will moaned airily.

Will was getting closer to the peak; he pushed his guilt, shyness and hesitation away and let himself focus on achieving an orgasm. He put his hand on Hannibal’s head and guided him to go even faster. He was rewarded by another moan from the older man.

“Fuck…I’m gonna come…” Will said breathlessly.

“Mm!” Hannibal responded excitedly.

Will teetered on the brink for several moments, then as Hannibal’s fingertips teased his anus, he was pushed over the edge. He saw stars behind his eyelids as an explosive orgasm went through him. Hannibal felt Will’s cock throb and then spurts of his warm semen filled his mouth. It was almost enough to make Hannibal come. When he finally released Will, he was desperate for his own release. Hannibal knelt beside Will and pulled his underwear down, revealing his erection to the younger man.

“Please touch me, Will. I can’t take it.” Hannibal implored.

Will was surprised by how needy and vulnerable Hannibal was; he never saw the psychiatrist like this before, not even when he was injured and in danger of bleeding out.

“You don’t have to beg…Although, the begging _is_ rather satisfying.” Will said, then he sat up and gently pushed Hannibal onto his back.

Will moved down and lustfully looked at Hannibal’s weeping member; he hadn’t given head to a guy since college, but he was confident in his ability to make Hannibal come. He licked the tip to taste his pre-ejaculate fluid, and Hannibal moaned; the sound sent a thrilling shiver along Will’s spine. Will grasped Hannibal’s cock and took it into his mouth, eagerly beginning to suck and take it deeper. Hannibal felt like he’d died and somehow managed to end up in heaven. It was such a profound experience, his grasp on reality slipped a little and he wasn’t sure if this was actually happening. He was called back to the present moment by a tiny moan from Will; the sweet boy was _excited_ and gratified to be doing this. Hannibal caressed his beautiful soft curls while his head bobbed up and down.

“My god…” Hannibal murmured.

Will wasn’t sure if Hannibal was just expressing his pleasure or if he was referring to Will as his god. His tone was worshipful. Will decided to reward him by cupping his sac and pressing his perineum.

“I won’t… _mmm_ …last…” Hannibal groaned.

Will increased his efforts, wanting to make the older man lose his composure completely. He felt the grip on his hair tighten, and he wantonly sucked and moved faster. Hannibal felt Will’s tongue rub the sensitive spot just under the head of his cock, and he shivered. Hannibal panted for breath, then his orgasm went through his body like a supernova. Will was immensely gratified as Hannibal came, and he kept swallowing the surprising amount of semen until finally there was nothing left. Will sucked Hannibal to deliberately make him twitch with oversensitivity, then he released him and looked up at his face. His expression was one of relief and awe, which made Will smirk slightly.

“Was it good?” Will asked lightheartedly.

“Good is not strong enough. But my vocabulary is failing me.” Hannibal said dazedly.

“We needed that.” Will acknowledged.

“Yes, we did. Does it help us repair our relationship, Will?” Hannibal said.

“I don’t know. It might just make it more fucked up, but…it felt good.” Will admitted.

Hannibal nodded subtly, then Will continued.

“Maybe this is actually a _new_ relationship. Like you said, our life is here now. There’s no going back.” Will added.

“This is poor timing, but can we continue talking about this later? I have to work today.” Hannibal said, getting out of bed.

“What? Oh. I didn’t know. Um…Okay.” Will said, then he got out of bed and followed Hannibal to the bathroom like a lost puppy.

“What am I going to do all day?” Will asked.

“Whatever you wish.” Hannibal said.

“Uh…Can I come with you? I can help with your work.” Will said.

Hannibal smirked at him and his dark eyes glinted.

“I already spoke to Mr. Stowe about you. He will pay you and we can work together. You can start today.” Hannibal said.

“Wha—You knew I’d end up working with you?!” Will said incredulously.

“I didn’t know, but I suspected.” Hannibal said.

There was a long pause.

“You’re such a presumptuous prick, it’s unbelievable.” Will said.

“I know. Shall we shower together?” Hannibal asked, gesturing towards the shower.

“…Yeah. Fine.” Will said, sulking dramatically as he stepped into the shower.

Hannibal smirked and felt smug.

(To Be Continued…)


	5. Chapter 5

Will and Hannibal caught the bus to Mr. Stowe’s law firm. Will was nervous about strolling into a busy high-rise building full of lawyers, but his fears were allayed when Hannibal led him to a lacklustre brown side door and opened it with a small key. Immediately inside, there were steps down into the basement. Will held onto the railing as he descended because his muscles still felt weak, then he followed Hannibal through a long windowless corridor.

“Did he put us in a storage closet?” Will asked humorously.

Hannibal chuckled.

“This is our office here, of sorts. It’s not a storage closet, but it’s not dissimilar to one.” Hannibal said as he opened the door.

There were no windows in the ‘office’, but there were shelving units, desks, computers, lamps and chairs. A stack of files already awaited their review.

“This seems very…clandestine.” Will said.

“It is. We are still fugitives, possibly presumed dead. As I’ve said, Mr. Stowe, being an unscrupulous pig, has decided to hire and pay us under the table for our expert forensic, behavioural and psychological opinions.” Hannibal said, dusting off the chairs with his hand.

“Well…it gives us an income. A _good_ income. I appreciate you taking Mr. Stowe off your…list…and getting us some jobs with him.” Will said.

Hannibal silently adjusted the desk lamp and plugged it in.

“He _is_ off your list, isn’t he?” Will said.

“…For now.” Hannibal admitted.

“Hannibal. Please. We just started fresh here.” Will said tiredly.

“You know, it’s not natural for me to suppress my urges.” Hannibal said.

“It’s perfectly natural for a human to use the higher brain functions and impulse control we’ve evolved to have.” Will said incredulously.

“Just because we have them, does that mean we need to use them?” Hannibal debated.

Will decided to change tactics. He smoothly stepped between the desk and Hannibal so that the front of their bodies brushed together; Will tilted his head and looked up into Hannibal’s eyes.

“Please?” Will asked in almost a pouting manner.

Hannibal gave him a ravenous look, and Will knew his strategy had worked.

“Very well.” Hannibal agreed.

“Thank you.” Will said earnestly.

Hannibal nodded distractedly and then Will turned around and reached over for a file folder, ‘accidentally’ brushing his butt against Hannibal’s crotch. Hannibal looked down at Will’s delectable rear end.

“…By the way, I told Mr. Stowe you’re my husband.” Hannibal said.

Will froze for a moment; he was mildly annoyed with the presumptuousness and the fantastical nature of the story Hannibal told people. On the other hand, Will felt flattered and proud to be considered husband material. He straightened up and then he felt Hannibal’s hands on his waist from behind. Hannibal nuzzled his shoulder and sniffed his neck.

“I…thought we came here to _work_.” Will said, barely resisting.

“I’m sorry, Will. I’ll let you concentrate.” Hannibal said, stepping back.

Will immediately missed the contact, but he didn’t admit it. He opened the first file folder and began skimming the pages.

“This one’s about a guy who got the all-clear from a psychiatrist, but he ended up crashing his car into his workplace, injuring three people. This is hitting a little too close to home for me…Can I let you handle it? I’ll look at the next case.” Will said.

“I’ll handle it for you, Will.” Hannibal said softly.

They sat at the two desks and reviewed their two different cases. After a long time, Will was engrossed in underlining a few points; he jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. His heart pounded and he exhaled harshly as he realized it was Hannibal.

“You nearly gave me a heart attack.” Will complained.

Hannibal kissed him on the head.

“I’ll announce my presence from now on. Speaking of cardiac health, we can leave work now and use the gym in our apartment building. We need to exercise.” Hannibal said.

“Oh. Okay. I’ll bookmark this page to come back to.” Will said, then he put a sticky note on the page.

“Good. I finished reviewing my case. I just have to make a few more notes.” Hannibal said.

Will nodded and left the basement office with Hannibal. They took the bus back to their apartment and got changed into grubby t-shirts and sweatpants. Hannibal wanted to help Will get back to health, and get there himself. When they went into the fitness area of the building, Hannibal started with a slow to moderate pace on the treadmills. He and Will were walking beside each other. The walking was difficult and tiring already from their lack of physical activity in the past months.

Will was soon out of breath, and his leg muscles burned. He glanced over at Hannibal, who was also struggling.

“This sucks.” Will said.

“Yes. Our bodies have gone to waste for a long time.” Hannibal said.

“Look. I have enough guilt about what I did, I don’t need you to rub it in.” Will said defensively.

“Guilt?” Hannibal probed.

“I almost killed us. The damage to our bodies is basically all my fault. Although, I wouldn’t have attempted to kill both of us, if you hadn’t…been the way you are.” Will said.

“So it’s my fault?” Hannibal said, then he wiped sweat from his forehead.

Will almost yelled at him, but he stopped and lowered his voice.

“You were fucking everything up, then I fucked up and pulled you off a cliff…then you saved us, and I haven’t figured out yet if that could be classified as another fuck-up.” Will said intensely.

As comical as Will’s minor meltdown was, it was also hurtful. Hannibal scoffed.

“Saving us was _not_ a fuck-up. Do you really believe _this_ is worse than death? Having a second chance, being here in Florida, with me? It’s _such_ torture, you’d rather be dead?” Hannibal said incredulously.

Will was startled by Hannibal’s tone and his use of profanity; he was close to losing his temper, which was unusual for the coldly reserved psychiatrist. Will realized how much he’d hurt Hannibal, and how ungrateful he sounded.

“…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that, I was just lashing out because I’m frustrated and I feel like shit.” Will said.

“I understand. I’m sorry, too. Let’s go upstairs. This is enough for now.” Hannibal said.

They turned the treadmills off and sullenly went up to the apartment together. They ate protein bars and drank chocolate milk for a snack, then Hannibal took his t-shirt off.

“I enjoyed showering with you this morning…Would you join me again, Will?” Hannibal said with surprising humility.

Will nodded subtly and took his t-shirt off, too. He followed Hannibal into the bathroom and watched him take his bottoms and socks off. Will blushed lightly, then he finished undressing; Hannibal turned the water on and stepped in, so Will got into the shower and stood in front of him. They wet their hair and shampooed.

“We should get haircuts.” Hannibal said when his fingers got caught in some tangles.

“Yeah.” Will chuckled; as he rinsed his curly hair, he had to actually wring out the back of it.

“Not that I don’t enjoy your wild mane. You look quite fetching.” Hannibal said, now lathering up with soap.

Will smiled.

“Thanks. I like your hair longer…Maybe you could just get a trim. It was long like this when we first met…” Will said.

Hannibal’s heart melted as Will gazed at him with big blue nostalgic eyes. The young man’s gorgeous eyes travelled down his body, following the soap suds. Will shyly averted his gaze, going back to concentrating on washing himself with his body wash.

“I can get a slight trim.” Hannibal said reassuringly.

Will smiled as he rinsed off. Hannibal rinsed himself, then they just looked at each other.

“Hannibal. Can you forgive me for trying to kill us both?” Will asked quietly.

“Yes, Will. Can you forgive me for saving us?” Hannibal said.

“Yes.” Will said.

“…And my other transgressions?” Hannibal asked.

“I’m trying to let go.” Will said earnestly; he was struggling to forgive Hannibal for Abigail, Beverly… _everything_. It was difficult, but Will truly wanted to put the burden of the past down. It was too much to carry.

Hannibal lightly put his hand on Will’s cheek. For both of them, it brought back the memory of the tender moment of Hannibal caressing Will’s face right before he stabbed the young man and killed Abigail. Will shut his eyes to try and ward off the traumatic memory, but it only made it worse; he could see it more clearly with his eyes closed. Will felt Hannibal’s warm, wet lips against his own. The traumatic scene behind his eyes faltered like it had a glitch; it went black and Will was brought into the present moment, noticing the sensation of Hannibal’s kiss, the sound of the shower. He put his hand on Hannibal’s chest and breathed shakily as their lips erotically slid over each other’s. Hannibal’s tongue trespassed, but Will opened his mouth, allowing the intrusion.

Will was unsettled by how much he wanted Hannibal to kiss him; he’d wanted it and expected it back then, but Hannibal had stabbed him. Now, instead of a knife, Will felt Hannibal’s erection against his abdomen as he stepped closer. Will found himself backed against the wall of the shower as the older man continued the dizzying onslaught of kisses. Hannibal took hold of Will’s wrists and raised his arms; he pinned the young man’s wrists above his head against the wall. Hannibal pressed closer, and he felt that Will was fully hard now, so he ground his hips to rub their cocks together. Will gave a tiny moan, barely audible over the noise of the shower. Hannibal ran his hands down Will’s arms and sides; Will was a good boy and kept his arms up. He gripped his sides; the young man felt small—and adorable—in his hands. Hannibal was urgently aroused as Will let him take control, so he turned the younger man around.

Will put his hands against the wall and eagerly stuck his butt out in anticipation of what was about to happen. He trembled as he felt Hannibal guide his tip between his butt cheeks, tantalizingly gliding up and down. Hannibal’s large hand then reached around and stroked Will’s throbbing member.

“Do you want me inside you, Will?” Hannibal said seductively in his ear.

Will had trouble formulating words as Hannibal gently fondled his sac and nudged his opening with the head of his cock.

“Y-yes…” Will muttered.

Hannibal pressed Will against the wall, so Will turned his face to the side. Hannibal petted the back of his head and put his fingers into his messy, sopping brunette curls.

“Don’t be shy, Will. Tell me what you want.” Hannibal encouraged, grasping the back of his hair.

“I want you to fuck me.” Will said louder.

Will heard Hannibal rumble a sexy moan right in his ear. The older man had been continuously nudging him with his cock, driving him crazy, so when it slipped inside, he was relaxed enough that it didn’t hurt. The water provided a bit of lubrication, and Hannibal was surprisingly gentle as he went deeper. Will appreciated it when Hannibal paused; the older man’s hand returned to his cock, and his knees quivered.

“Oh god, Hannibal…” Will moaned breathily.

Hannibal was also pausing for his own sake. He wanted this to last, and to revel in the sensation of Will’s tight walls squeezing his cock as his muscles clenched slightly.

“I’ve wanted this for so long.” Hannibal whispered in his ear.

Will blushed.

“…Me too…” Will confessed.

Will mewled as Hannibal bucked his hips, thrusting deeper. To Hannibal, this sweet confession was nearly as satisfying as the sex. Will Graham just admitted he’d been wanting Hannibal to fuck him for a long time. Why he hadn’t just said it before was kind of a mystery to Hannibal, but he supposed Will’s stubborn rejection of his own desires and urges had a lot to do with it.

“Ohhh you’re so beautiful…my perfect angel…” Hannibal praised while thrusting slowly and deeply.

Will clawed at the wall as Hannibal pressed against his prostate.

“My sweet boy…” Hannibal moaned, then he thrust faster.

“Mm!” Will whimpered; he was pinned to the wall by the older man’s body, and he fucking _loved_ it. He felt dominated, protected, worshipped, corrupted. His obsessive, overbearing, psychopathic, cannibalistic serial killer boyfriend was taking him roughly in the shower and he’d never felt so gratified. Will was reminded of what he’d said earlier that day: that he was a monster, too. Will felt even more alive now than he felt when he killed the Red Dragon with Hannibal. His repressed lust for the psychiatrist was freed; the floodgates were open. Will whined wantonly and pushed back in rhythm with Hannibal’s thrusts, so the older man fucked him harder.

Hannibal was enraptured by the feel of Will moving with him, tightly pumping his cock; the sweet sounds he made drove him insane. The young man was panting, moaning and mewling in a needy fashion, with no trace of self-consciousness left. He was Hannibal’s wet dream come to life. Hannibal grasped Will’s hips and pulled him forcefully with each thrust, burying himself to the hilt.

“Ohh! _Fuck!”_ Will mewled breathlessly; Hannibal was dominating him and hitting his prostate. He felt like his legs might give out, so he desperately clutched at the wall as he was bent further forward by the older man.

Hannibal felt Will trembling and tensing up; the young man was so beautiful when he was unravelling. He felt exquisite as he slipped tightly over his cock, and he looked exquisite, too. Hannibal studied Will’s lean arms straining against the wall, his dark wet hair, the little scars from wounds and surgeries on his back and sides. He was still perfect even after being broken and put back together.

Will was overwhelmed by the continuous stimulation; since they were wet from the shower, Hannibal’s impressive cock was slipping in and out. He was bumping his prostate, his hands were gripping his hips, and Will was being driven crazy. Just the _thought_ of being fucked in the shower by Hannibal was enough to get him to the edge of a climax.

“ _Hannibal_...” Will moaned blissfully, then he panted as he started coming. His cock bobbed and his semen spurted against the wall several times.

Hannibal felt Will’s body quake and tighten in the throes of his orgasm, and he immediately followed. Hannibal groaned and buckled forward with the force of his climax; he came inside Will, and the young man lustfully arched his back and moved against him. Will felt full, warm and slippery inside; he was so aroused by it, he wanted more. Hannibal apparently took the hint, because he reached around and lightly stroked Will’s cock, causing him to shudder with oversensitivity. As Hannibal persisted, however, Will became hard again and eventually had another orgasm. His semen gushed and dribbled out, then both men were exhausted.

“Oh my god.” Will said, catching his breath.

“Yes.” Hannibal concurred, then he gently slipped out of Will.

They shakily rinsed themselves and Hannibal turned the water off. Luckily for them, it was a walk-in shower, so they didn’t have to lift their weak wobbly legs to get out. They dried off as best as they could, then they both went into Hannibal’s bedroom.

“I think I need a nap.” Will said.

“I do too. Come on.” Hannibal said, getting into bed.

Will tiredly crawled into bed and snuggled against Hannibal.

“After we rest, I’ll make dinner for us.” Hannibal said softly as he embraced Will.

“…Nothing weird, though, okay?” Will said sleepily.

Hannibal subtly sighed; he had to figure out what non-‘weird’ food would be. Was all gourmet food weird, or just the cannibalism? Oh well, he would just make turkey sandwiches and some salad because that’s what he grabbed from the grocery store, anyway.

“Okay, Will.” Hannibal said quietly, then he kissed his forehead.

(To Be Continued…)


	6. Chapter 6

Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months; Will and Hannibal had settled into a new routine of working and exercising together. Their free time was spent making love, cuddling, learning new things about each other such as how Will enjoyed crossword puzzles and how Hannibal hated wearing socks to bed. Hannibal continued spoiling Will with fine foods, grooming products—and crossword puzzles—but he also saved cash. Will contributed to their stockpile of bills so that they’d be able to buy a car.

Will and Hannibal had both regained strength, weight and muscle tone; they noticed it in themselves and each other. Now, as they sat beside the pool at their apartment complex, Will surveyed Hannibal’s body. The older man had acquired a golden tan from the Florida sun, his hair was silvery blonde, and his toned arms were to die for. Will was clearly no longer in denial about his feelings for Hannibal. In fact, he’d become quite affectionate with his older companion, even at work. Will was so attached to him, he wanted to touch him, kiss him, cuddle him every chance he got.

Hannibal took a sip of iced tea, then he looked at Will, who was gazing admiringly at him. He reached out to Will and they held hands between their adjacent lounge chairs. If Hannibal had known falling off a cliff would bring about this change in their relationship, he would’ve done it shortly after they first met. He felt like he was in heaven now. Hannibal lightly caressed Will’s ring finger, wishing he might one day convince him to wear a ring that was symbolic of their undying devotion to one another. He feared Will wouldn’t be ready for that for a long time.

Will became aware of the significance of Hannibal’s caress; his finger was noticeably bare of jewelry and Hannibal was stroking the exact spot a ring would be. Will wasn’t sure what to say, if anything. He and Hannibal caught the attention of some people nearby, a couple of young women and a young man, who smiled at them. One of the women even went “aww” as she noticed they were holding hands. Hannibal liked the attention; he proudly lifted Will’s hand and kissed his knuckles.

“You two are so cute together!” The woman said giddily.

“Thank you.” Hannibal said, smiling.

“Thanks. We’ve been together for…several years. We’re inseparable. I think he’s been trying to get the courage to propose to me.” Will said.

Hannibal felt like he might fall out of his chair, he was so shocked. He actually blushed. The small group of people were delighted and amused; they laughed and made more ‘ooh’ and ‘aww’ noises.

“That’s sweet!” The young guy said.

Hannibal gazed at Will and his heart pounded; he clutched his hand and sat up rather urgently.

“Will…will you marry me?” Hannibal asked earnestly.

The group of friends squealed at their apparent cuteness. Will took a long moment to consider the question.

“Yes.” Will said, surprising himself as well as Hannibal and the witnesses.

The group of friends cheered, while Hannibal was in shock. When he came back to his senses, he lunged out of his chair and kissed Will so hard that he almost tipped the lounge chair over. Hannibal grabbed Will around the waist and pulled him up to a standing position. Will was dazed; Hannibal had certainly regained his strength.

“Come with me.” Hannibal said, then he ushered him indoors and quickly let him into their apartment.

After locking the door, Hannibal grasped Will’s shoulders and looked into his eyes.

“Were you being sincere, Will? Or were you putting on a show for those people?” Hannibal asked.

“I was being sincere, Hannibal. It’s crazy, but I love you. I’m _in love_ with you. We _are_ inseparable, and—Oh!” Will said, then Hannibal scooped him up and carried him bridal-style into the bedroom they shared.

Will was placed on the bed, then he was kissed within an inch of his life as Hannibal got on top of him. The passionate kissing, the weight of the older man, and the gentle dry humping left him breathless.

“…I didn’t expect…to be dragged into bed and ravished.” Will said playfully as he caught his breath.

“I didn’t expect you to say yes.” Hannibal said, then he resumed kissing Will; they both chuckled and kept kissing.

“I don’t think we should have an official ceremony though, we wouldn’t be able to use our real names because we’re probably presumed dead. Or we’ll be caught as fugitives and go to prison.” Will said, and Hannibal paused.

“Whatever you want, but…I’d love to give you a ring to wear.” Hannibal said, caressing Will’s cheek.

“I want us to give each other rings.” Will said eagerly.

“I love you, Will.” Hannibal said softly.

“I love you too, Hannibal. I think we belong together. For whatever reason, we’ve been given another chance, _together_. At first, I…resisted. But now, I can’t imagine spending the rest of my life any other way. I _want_ to be here in St. Augustine, with you, forever.” Will said emotionally.

Both of them wiped some tears away, then they kissed gently; gradually, their kissing became heated and they started rubbing against each other. They reluctantly separated to get their swim shorts off, then Hannibal retook his position on top of Will.

“Ohh god, Hannibal, I need you…” Will purred.

“Mmm my sweet boy…” Hannibal rumbled, then he grabbed the lube off the nightstand and slicked it on his cock and Will’s entrance.

Hannibal adoringly kissed Will again, first sensually devouring his mouth and then his jawline and neck. Hannibal nudged Will’s tight opening and slipped inside, making the younger man moan erotically. The sound aroused Hannibal to the point that he nipped Will’s neck; he was rewarded with quiet whimpering.

“Mm…deeper…give me all of you…” Will urged.

Will suddenly had the now-familiar satisfying sensation of being thoroughly fucked by Hannibal; he was filled completely.

“Oh… _Yes!”_ Will moaned breathily.

They looked into each other’s eyes. Hannibal still sometimes felt like he was dreaming or fantasizing; this was one of those instances. Will Graham had just agreed to marry him and he was wantonly writhing beneath him.

Will noticed a distant look in Hannibal’s dark eyes; since they both had post-traumatic stress from the fall—among other things—this happened sometimes. They would help ground each other in the present moment. Will put his hands on Hannibal’s cheeks.

“Stay here with me.” Will whispered.

Hannibal kissed him.

“I’m here, my love.” Hannibal said quietly.

Will mewled in pleasure as Hannibal began thrusting steadily. He took full advantage of his position on the bottom; he let his hands wander over Hannibal’s muscular back and arms. It was thrilling to feel how much bigger and stronger Hannibal was now, compared to when they first became intimate. Will was also stronger and more fit, but he loved still feeling like Hannibal could dominate him.

Hannibal slowed his thrusts and reached down between their bodies to grasp Will’s cock. He still had some lube on his hand, so his grip was gentle and slippery. Will trembled and panted, overwhelmed by the dual stimulation he was getting. Hannibal slowly gyrated inside Will while jerking him off, and he heard the young man whine as he got closer.

“That’s it…come for me, sweet boy…” Hannibal said breathily.

Will reached up and clutched the headboard as his body tensed. He felt like he might explode. Hannibal quickened his movements, both with his hips and his hand.

“Oh! _Fuck!”_ Will mewled, then he felt the intense bliss hit him.

Hannibal looked down and lustfully watched Will’s semen spurt out repeatedly, landing on the younger man’s chest.

Will let go of the headboard and grabbed Hannibal’s back, pulling him closer. The older man got on top of him and put more weight on him.

“Mm! Yes, faster…I want you to come in me…” Will said breathlessly.

Hannibal put his fingers into Will’s hair and grasped it while he bucked wildly. Will’s breathless whimpers drove him crazy, and he soon reached his orgasm. Hannibal groaned and slumped forward as he came, filling Will with his semen.

Will moaned softly as he felt the subtle throbbing and slippery sensations inside him, and he petted Hannibal’s hair. He nuzzled into his hair and kissed him on the head.

“I’m tired now, but I’m too excited to have a nap. Can we go shopping for our rings?” Will said.

Hannibal smiled as he lifted up and looked into his eyes.

“Of course, Will. Let’s make ourselves presentable and go shopping.” Hannibal said softly.

Will nodded cutely, then Hannibal gently withdrew from him.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

At the jewelry shop, Hannibal gravitated towards the traditional wedding bands because he thought Will would want those, but he noticed the young man’s gorgeous blue eyes were focused elsewhere.

“Do you see something you like, Will?” Hannibal asked.

Will blushed lightly.

“Um…I was just looking at the band with an infinity symbol in the middle.” Will said.

“Is that what you want, sweetheart?” Hannibal asked adoringly.

Will nodded shyly.

“I think it’s the most appropriate for us. What do you think about…having matching rings?” Will said coyly.

“You never cease to amaze me. I didn’t know you were so romantic.” Hannibal said.

“I didn’t know I was, either.” Will said wryly, and they both chuckled.

Hannibal asked the worker if they had two infinity symbol bands, and they did, so Hannibal purchased them with wads of cash.

“…Shouldn’t I pay for yours?” Will asked embarrassedly, but ’sugar daddy Hannibal’ refused.

“We’ll wear them now.” Hannibal told the worker, then he turned to Will, with the ring poised for his finger.

“Oh.” Will said shyly, then he held his hand out; Hannibal slid the ring onto his finger. They gazed into each other’s eyes and then Will slid the matching counterpart onto Hannibal’s left ring finger. They smiled at one another as their devotion, love, and bond became more official.Hannibal cupped Will’s face in his hands and kissed him. Will got lost in the dizzying kiss and they ended up almost making out in the middle of the store for a few minutes while the workers awkwardly tried to go back to their duties.

“I love you, Hannibal.” Will said earnestly; it still surprised him how much he loved this man, this _killer_ , but he couldn’t help it. At long last, Will accepted that and allowed himself to be in love.

“I love you too, Will.” Hannibal said emotionally while caressing his cheeks.

They kissed again, then they left and went back to their apartment to watch the sunset together.

**The End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
